Schvartze
Schvartze (from שוואַרץ, shvarts, 'black'; cf. German: schwarz; OED) is a racial slur for Black people in the Yiddish language.
Etymology
Schvartze is derived from the Yiddish word schvarts, which means "black".[1] The word is sometimes referred to as "the S-word".[2]
About
The term schvartze has been described as "the Jewish N-word".[3][4] Upper-middle class Jews during the 1800s and 1900s often used the term to describe their Black servants because it was assumed they wouldn't understand the word.[1]
Some Yiddish speakers argue that the term is not inherently offensive, claiming that is a neutral term for a Black person.[5]
See also
References
- ^ a b "schvartze (n.)". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
- ^ "The Real "S" Word". Washington Jewish Week. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
- ^ "No More Jewish N-Word". The Forward. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
- ^ "The Jewish N Word". Orthodox Union. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
- ^ "To Yiddish Speakers, 'Shvartzer' Isn't Hateful". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-04-26.